530 STRATIGRAPHICAL GEOLOGY. 



up of the adjoining Lake and Montalban schists. We find here no 

 examples of the modern type of syncHnal mountains comparable with 

 the Catskills or Greylock, since all such have been removed entirely by 

 denudation. The ascent to the highest topographical line here is gradual 

 from all sides, — something of the ge-anticlinal structure as set forth by 

 Dana. From this elevated surface there is an occasional remnant of a 

 later superimposed formation, like Monadnock and Kearsarge mountains. 

 These features indicate a greater antiquity to the height of land in New 

 Hampshire than belongs to the Green Mountains of Vermont. The 

 latter still exhibit the anticlinal build. Should they be compressed still 

 more, so as to produce inversions on both sides, and have their summits 

 levelled down to the general average height of the mass, they would then 

 be like the older New Hampshire range. 



2. The repetition of the porphyritic gneiss in the smaller areas, and 

 the occurrence of limited basins of gneiss and schist upon it, indicate the 

 presence of anticlinal and synclinal lines, and thus aid in unravelling 

 the stratigraphical features of the state. First of all, there is what might 

 be called the Pemigewasset basin, a depression between the main range 

 and that along Squam and Winnipiseogee lakes, allowing the accumulation 

 of the Montalban series. Next, the Pelham area may be a remnant of 

 an ancient ridge of this rock to constitute, with the main range, a basin 

 for the deposition of the gneisses and schists of the lower Merrimack 

 region. Third, smaller lines of upheaval or demarkation of basins are 

 more clearly defined about the well established area ; e. g., there is the 

 Peterborough and Greenville branch, continuous in the Weare, Hopkinton, 

 and Webster outcrops. This gives us a basin for the deposition of the 

 rocks between Greenfield and Salisbury. A smaller basin is that enclosed 

 by the three Schodac areas of Warner, with the main mass in the Mink 

 hills and Sutton. The gneiss outside of the Greenfield and Webster fine 

 is divided into two parts by the New Boston and South Weare line. 

 There are two very obvious depressions in the porphyritic gneiss, about 

 Bradford pond and in the west part of Hcnniker. Others must occur in 

 the very large area between Wilton and Dublin, which farther explorations 

 will bring to light. The depressions for the Monadnock and Kearsarge 

 series must have been more extensive than any that have been mentioned. 

 These lie partly upon this ancient formation, but as they involve others 



